Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Oculus'

Written by Scott Edwards

Some memories from our childhood could have been so traumatic that we do not remember what really happened. Suppressing our memories can be a good thing when it comes to this, as we only want to remember the good times and none of the bad. Most of the time, this works out, but once in a while those memories come back to haunt us and there is nothing that can be done to push them back down, we are just meant to face what actually happened and try to make the best of it.

Tim Russell has been battling his inner demons for eleven years of his life while staying in a psych ward. As he has been undergoing evaluations for most of his life, he has finally come to terms with the fact that he was responsible for the death of his father. As his doctor has come to the decision that Tim has accepted responsibility for his act, he suggests the young man be set free. As his sister is anxiously awaiting his release, Tim’s doctor reminds him not to fall back into the spell that she tried to cast on him so many years ago. Although Tim is nervous about leaving the ward, he is happy to be cured and is wanting to start his life over again.

Kaylie Russell has been waiting all of this time to get her brother back and take care of something much more sinister. Kaylie has been following the path of a mirror that her father proudly hung in the office of the family's new home eleven years ago. Kaylie believes that the mirror houses an evil that killed her parents and after years of research, has found out that the mirror has been involved in several other strange deaths during its time on earth. Wanting to prove to everyone that the mirror is evil, she sets up video cameras around her childhood home and urges her younger brother to take part in the investigation. Although Tim believes he was responsible for his father’s death, Kaylie will not let him take the fall for it as she remembers what really happened.

During their investigation into the old mirror, the two are forced to remember their youth in the vacant house. Watching as their father is working hard to provide for them, they both notice a strange woman in his office with him or milling around the house. Although their mother does not believe the strange occurrences, she starts to hear and feel things out of the ordinary in the office while cleaning. As she looks into the mirror, her perspective on life starts to change and with her husband already consumed by the mirror, there is no hope for either one of them. Tim and Kaylie try to figure out the secret behind the mirror before they lose their parents, but as they try to destroy it, they find that no matter what they do, they will never have a clean shot as their perceptions continue to change.

This movie ended up surprising me. After watching the previews for it, I thought it would have to do with reflections in the mirror, and in a way, it was, but it was also so much more. Watching as the Russell father fell under the mirror’s spell, it was great seeing how he deteriorated over all of the time he spent with it. Then as the Russell’s mother did the same thing, it is amazing that the kids were able to get out of the house alive. I enjoyed the determination that Kaylie had towards destroying the mirror and the hesitance that her brother Tim brought to it. Knowing what really happened in your youth could be difficult these days, as we are all getting older and our memories are fading, but if you remember it the way that it really happened, you may just be able to survive another day. Stay Scared.

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